Qiu Yingying is reborn and bound to a learning system.

As Fan Shengmei's parents threw a tantrum under the streetlights in the residential area, the noise grew louder and louder, attracting a growing crowd of onlookers. The whispers and pointing fingers pierced Fan Shengmei's heart like needles. Qiu Yingying and Guan Juer exchanged a glance and made a decisive decision.

Qiu Yingying rushed forward and grabbed Fan's mother's arm tightly, while Guan Juer squatted down and hugged the crying Lei Lei. The two of them, one on each side, dragged the Fan family into the apartment building. "Uncle and Aunt, let's talk this out. Don't let them get cold outside!" Qiu Yingying was sweating with anxiety. She kept comforting them with her mouth, but she was secretly pushing hard with her feet.

After finally managing to drag them back to the door of 2202, Fan Shengmei looked at the mess inside, steeled her heart, and turned around to help Qiu Yingying and Guan Juer lock the doors to the master bedroom and the second bedroom. One of these rooms belonged to Qiu Yingying, and the other to Guan Juer; they were spacious and bright, and locking them would at least protect their personal belongings and deter her parents from staying in the rooms. As for herself, she only lived in a dark and small partitioned room on the balcony, with a narrow bed and an old wardrobe; it was so cramped that even turning around was difficult, so there was nothing to lock.

After doing all this, she said in a hoarse voice to her parents, who were looking completely bewildered, "These two rooms belong to my roommates. If you want to make a scene, do it at the door. Don't ruin their things."

Fan Sheng's mother was about to throw another tantrum, but Fan's father waved her off and pulled her to squat in the bathroom. Lei Lei, tired from playing, nestled in his grandmother's arms, half-asleep. The three of them, having made a scene for most of the day, were too exhausted to continue and fell asleep on the sofa.

Qiu Yingying peered through the peephole for a while, then gestured for Guan Juer and Fan Shengmei to be quiet. She then took out her phone and sent a message to Qu Xiaoxiao. A few minutes later, Qu Xiaoxiao sneaked out of the stairwell and waved to them.

The three of them tiptoed out of the door, barely daring to breathe. 2201 was just next door, a few steps away, but it felt like half a century had passed.

Qu Xiaoxiao rang the doorbell with practiced ease, and Andy quickly opened the door. The moment Fan Shengmei stepped into the spacious and bright living room of 2201, her taut nerves snapped. She could no longer hold back; she squatted on the floor, her shoulders trembling violently, and a long-suppressed sob finally broke free, a heart-wrenching cry.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, little earthworm, I'm so sorry, Guan Guan..." she cried, choking back sobs as she apologized, "I shouldn't have brought them here, I shouldn't have let them ruin your things, I shouldn't have caused you so much trouble..."

She spoke haltingly, recounting her brother's gambling debts, her parents' preference for sons over daughters, and her years of scrimping and saving in Shanghai, living in a cramped, dark cubicle, sending most of her salary home, yet still being treated like an ATM. Those unbearable, embarrassing, and shameful past events poured out like a flood.

Andy handed her a tissue. Qu Xiaoxiao, unusually, didn't argue. Thinking of her good-for-nothing brother, she simply leaned back on the sofa and silently smoked. Qiu Yingying knelt down and hugged Fan Shengmei, gently patting her back, her eyes also reddening—it turned out Fan Shengmei had been living in such a cramped space all along, carrying such heavy shackles. Guan Juer's eyes also reddened, and she silently handed her a glass of warm water.

It was late at night. Fan Shengmei, exhausted from crying, leaned against the sofa, half asleep. Qiu Yingying and Guan Juer exchanged a worried glance—Fan Shengmei's parents were still guarding the door of apartment 2202, and they definitely wouldn't be able to go home tonight.

"How about... coming to my place for the night?" Qiu Yingying hesitated for a moment before making the suggestion.

Qu Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow: "Where are you? Don't you live in 2202?"

Qiu Yingying scratched her head, her fingertips brushing against the fine downy hairs behind her ear. A hint of embarrassment appeared on her face, her lips curving into a smile, but her tone was deliberately low-key, carrying a touch of helplessness as if "every family has its own problems": "Sigh, it's 2204 next door. They've made the down payment and are still paying off the mortgage. They also have fixed expenses every month. The renovations are just finished. Everyone can come over for dinner sometime."

These words surprised not only Qu Xiaoxiao, but also Andy. Guan Juer's eyes widened in disbelief. Fan Shengmei even showed an expression of admiration.

Guan Juer's eyes sparkled. Her feet, clad in new slippers, twitched as she slowly circled half the living room. Her fingertips lightly brushed against the soft fabric cushions of the sofa, then she bent down to touch the plush carpet beneath her feet, unable to resist clicking her tongue in amazement. Her tone was full of envy: "This house is so comfortable! The natural light is great, the layout is perfect, it looks so spacious. With your high income now, and those big deals from Google and your video side hustle, paying off the mortgage is a piece of cake for you! It's no big deal at all!"

Qiu Yingying chuckled, didn't reply, but changed the subject, turned and ran into the bedroom, pulling out a brand new set of pure cotton pajamas from the bottom drawer of the wardrobe. The pajamas were light blue, printed with small floral patterns, the fabric felt soft to the touch, and carried the fresh scent of just being opened. She handed the pajamas to Guan Juer, then pointed towards the bathroom: "Here, new, never worn. Change into these first, then I'll go get you your toiletries."

Her bathroom was spotless; the sink gleamed, and the mirror was completely dry. Two brand-new sets of toothbrushes and toothpaste were neatly arranged on the shelf, even the mouthwash cups were a matching light blue, and the towels were freshly taken from their packaging—fluffy, soft, and with a faint lemon scent. Guan Juer stood in the doorway, holding her pajamas, looking at all this. A warm feeling welled up inside her, and her nose tingled slightly. She couldn't help but exclaim, "Yingying, you're so thoughtful! You even prepared all this!"

The two squeezed into the spacious, bright bathroom to wash up. The warm yellow light shone on their faces, illuminating their tired yet still vibrant expressions. Qiu Yingying squeezed out toothpaste, gently swirling the toothbrush in her mouth. She wiped the foam from the corners of her lips with the back of her hand, glanced at Guan Juer in the mirror, and mumbled between rinsing her mouth, "We definitely can't go back to 2202 tonight. Think about it, with Uncle and Aunt making such a fuss, and Lei Lei being so mischievous, we'll probably be up until late. We won't get a good night's sleep. We have to go to work tomorrow; we can't go with dark circles under our eyes."

Guan Juer was splashing warm water on her face when she heard this. She nodded, sighed in deep agreement, and wiped her face with a towel: "Yes, it was absolutely chaotic. Just thinking about going back and facing that messy scene gives me a headache. It's so much better here, quiet and peaceful, even the air feels comfortable."

After washing up, the two slipped on their slippers and snuggled into the soft sofa in the living room. Qiu Yingying took out her phone and quickly swiped the screen, ordering two late-night snacks—spicy crayfish and sweet and sour pork ribs, both their favorite flavors. "Want an iced cola?" Qiu Yingying asked, looking up. Guan Juer's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously, "Yes! Absolutely! Iced!"

The takeout arrived quickly, in less than twenty minutes. Qiu Yingying ran to open the door in her slippers, returning with two heavy takeout boxes, which she placed on the coffee table. The moment the lids were opened, a rich aroma wafted out. The crayfish were bright red, coated in a glistening broth, and the sweet and sour pork ribs looked incredibly tempting, making one's mouth water.

Forget about appearances, the two grabbed crayfish and started peeling them. The meat was tender and bouncy, the spicy and savory flavor spreading across their tongues, perfectly complemented by the ice-cold cola—it was simply divine. They chatted as they peeled, talking about how tedious Qiu Yingying's new project proposal was, how Guan Juer's report at work had been praised by her boss, Andy's efficiency and decisiveness, and Qu Xiaoxiao's sharp tongue but kind heart. They carefully avoided mentioning the unpleasant things happening at Fan Shengmei's house. Those troubles, like the night outside the window, were temporarily shut out through that door.

After finishing their late-night snack, Qiu Yingying tidied the coffee table and then pulled Guan Juer to the study. The study wasn't large, but it was decorated very warmly. A large bookshelf stood against the wall, filled with books ranging from professional planning and video editing tutorials to light romance novels and collections of essays and poems. Guan Juer picked out a collection of essays she had been eyeing for a long time, while Qiu Yingying pulled out a newly bought book on editing techniques. The two sat side-by-side on the thick carpet, the small lamp overhead casting a warm yellow glow. It was quiet, with only the rustling of pages turning and occasional hushed conversations. Time seemed to slow down.

Night deepened, and drowsiness gradually crept in; her eyelids began to droop. Qiu Yingying closed her book, stretched lazily, and yawned: "Let's go to sleep, I'm so sleepy."

She led Guan Juer into the bedroom, where the bed was neatly made, covered with a brand-new, fluffy four-piece bedding set. It was off-white and felt as soft and fluffy as a cloud. Qiu Yingying patted the bed and said with a smile, "We'll squeeze in here tonight. This bed is 1.8 meters long, it's very big, you'll definitely sleep comfortably."

Guan Juer lay down, sinking into the soft bedding. The faint fragrance of perfume lingered around her nose, and she couldn't help but sigh comfortably, completely relaxing.

Qiu Yingying turned off the lights, leaving only a small bedside nightlight, its dim yellow light incredibly gentle. The only sounds in the room were the moonlight streaming in from the window and the soft breathing of the two of them—a tranquil and beautiful space.

"Yingying," Guan Juer's voice was soft, filled with sleepiness, like a feather gently brushing against one's heart, "It's so nice to have your own house."

Qiu Yingying hummed in agreement, turning to look at the moonlight outside the window, feeling a sense of peace and security. She whispered, "Once you buy your own house, we can often drink tea and read books together, or snuggle on the sofa watching dramas and eating snacks."

"I definitely will," Guan Juer's voice grew softer, her eyelids grew heavier, but a sweet smile curved her lips. "I want to buy my own apartment in Ode to Joy. And I want to be with you."